Hog exercising apparatus



April 25, 1961 H. H. SCHWENDENMANN HOG EXERCISING APPARATUS Filed May 20, 1959 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 1 Fly] /2 /4 Fig.2

Harry H. Schwendenmann 1N VEN TOR.

A ril 25, 1961 Filed May 20, 1959 H. H. SCHWENDENMANN HOG EXERCISING- APPARATUS 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Harry H. Schwendenmann 1N VEN TOR.

April 25, 1961 H. H. SCHWENDENMANN 2,981,227

HOG EXERCISING APPARATUS Filed May 20, 1959 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 52 49 Fig/0 Harry H. .Schwendenmann 1 N VEN TOR.

L- 48 BY April 1961 H. H. SCHWENDENMANN 2,981,227

HOG EXERCISING APPARATUS Filed May 20, 1959 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 7/ ///i H0rry h. .Schwendenmmn I IN VEN TOR.

405%. BY Ammqs April 25, 1961 H. H. SCHWENDENMANN HOG EXERCISING APPARATUS Filed May 20, 1959 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Harry H. Schwendenmann 2,981,227 Patented Apr. 25, 1961 ire nos nxnnc-rsrno APPARATUS Harry H. Schwendenmann, 47555 N. Gratiot Ave, Mount Clemens, Mich.

Filed May 29, 1959, Ser. No. 814,421

10 Claims. ((31. 119-=1) This invention relates to hog exercising apparatus and more particularly to apparatus for requiring hogs to exercise.

An object of the invention is to provide an apparatus which requires hogs to undergo certain exercises in order that the hogs may move from one area to another. This will improve the quality of market hogs, producing longer, leaner and more meaty hogs.

Briefly, the apparatus is embodied in a unit placed in such a position as to compel the hog to pass through the unit a number of times a day while going from the bedding area to the feeding area and to the watering area. The unit may be used in any number of multiples.

The hog exercising apparatus unit consists essentially of a number of groups of rollers mounted for motion that is constrained in accordance with a predetermined pattern. The rollers are carried by a frame structure by which the positions of the rollers may be adjusted. An opening large enough for the hog to go through is left in the frame structure, but in passing through the opening the rollers rub across the hog compelling the hog to receive a rolling massage and stoop low to pass through the opening. After passing through this opening, the hog is capable of standing erect.

An important feature of the invention is found in the arrangement of rollers. They are placed at different angles, for example one or more rollers are horizontally mounted and other rollers are mounted at an angle to the horizontal rollers. This is to assure that there will be a wide area of contact between the hog and the plurality of rollers during the passing of the hog from one side of the unit to the other.

All of the rollers are resiliently biased by means of springs. The spring force yieldingly opposes the movement of the rollers thereby enabling hogs of different sizes to effectively use the same unit and furthermore, the springs exert a yielding force through the medium of the rollers, on the body of the hog.

It has been mentioned previously that the units may be used in any practical multiple. For example two units may be placed in tandem with enough space left between the units to enable the hog to pass through one unit, stand erect and then pass through the next unit. This further induces activity of the hog and provides rolling massage on the hogs body tending to promote a leaner market hog.

Another important feature of the invention is that it requires no care after being installed and requires no effort on the part of the farmer to operate the unit. The unit, in any number of multiples, is simply installed at the doorways in the fencing, after which the unit or units remain in place and are operated automatically as the hogs move from the various areas.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic top view of a typical lot fenced to define various areas between which units in accordance with the invention are installed in multiples of three, although it is to be understood that the units may be single, double or in any other multiple.

Figure 2 is an enlarged top view of two of the units shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an enlarged top view of one of the units shown in Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a front elevational view of the unit in Figure 3.

, Figure 5 is a rear view of the unit in Figure 3.

Figure 6 is a sectional view on enlarged scale and taken on the line 6-6 of Figure 4.

Figure 7 is an enlarged sectional view of one of the rollers in the unit of Figure 3.

Figure 8 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 8-8 of Figure 6.

Figure 9 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 9-9 of Figure 6.

Figure 10 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line fil -10 of Figure 3.

Figure 11 is a sectional view taken on the line 1111 of Figure 4.

Figure 12 is a perspective view of the inner operating section of one unit of the apparatus.

In the accompanying drawings there is illustrated a typical lot 10 enclosed by fence 12 to form feeding area 14, watering area 16 and bedding area 18 together with a corridor 20. There are entrances 21, 2a and 24 in the corridor forming fence sections 26 and 28.

- Typical entrance 21 in fence section 28 is shown on enlarged scale in Figure 2. Hog exercising apparatus 3-2 is in alignment with entrance 21 and is composed of units 34, 36 and 33, each of which is identical. Similar units are in alignment with entrances 22 and 2 4, and a typical unit 34 is shown in detail in Figures 3l2, inclusive. It is explicitly pointed out that the three units 34, 36 and 33 shown in tandem in Figure 1 may be increased in number or may be reduced in number in accordance with the desires of the farmer. When connected in tandem, for example units 34 and 36 0f Figure 2, sections of fence 3-9 and 40* are at the sides of the passage 42, this passage being at the confronting spaced ends of units 34 and 36 and forming a short corridor in which the hog may stand after having been required to creep through unit 34 and before entering unit 36- to promote exercise activities for the hogs.

Typical unit 34 is made of a plank or other type of base 46, preferably wooden, and is firmly anchored by means of a number of anchor pins 48. Each anchor pin is passed through a loop secured to an edge of base 46, for instance by screws 52. The loop protrudes laterally from the edge of base 46, and the anchor pin has a head 4-9 thereon which overlies a small part of loop 50.

There is an outer main support frame secured to base 46 and an inner operating section 62 vertically adjustably mounted in the outer main support frame. Outer frame has four corner posts 63, 64, 65 and 66 each provided with a lower angle bracket 67 connected by bolts 68 to base 46'. Upper crossed braces 70 and 71 are rigidly secured to a rectangular or square upper sub-frame 78 which is fixed to the upper ends of the four corner posts. The majority of the frame members are made of angle iron and all joints are bolted or Welded or otherwise rigidly secured together by conventional means. The overlying juncture of the crossed braces '70 and 71 has a threaded opening 80 therein through which threaded crank 83 is passed. The crank has a lower end operatively connected with operating section .across plates 'the spring bears against the .spindle 184 about which the roller 180 rotates. collar or pin side plates 90 and 91 whose vertical side edges 93 fit between pairs of the guides 81, 85 and 82, 86 thereby constraining the motion of the side plates 90 and 91 to vertical movement. The upper ends of the guide plates are braced by crossed braces 94 and 95 which are welded .or otherwise secured to angles at the upper edges of plates 90 and 91. At the overlapping juncture of the braces 94 and 95 there is an opening 96 through which the lower end of threaded crank 83 is passed. Upper nuts 97 which are backed, are attached to the threaded crank 83, and lower nuts 98, also backed, are secured to the lower extremity of crank 83. The nuts are on opposite surfaces of braces 94 and 95 thereby rotationally connecting the crank to the upper end of the operating section 62.

Front and rear rollers 100 and 102 extend transversely 90 and 91. These rollers are made of flexible compressible material, for instance a rubber cylinder .104 (Figure 8) with a metallic sleeve 198 in the bore thereof.

A spindle 110 extends through the metallic sleeve and has its ends mounted for rotation in carriage blocks 107, one of which is illustrated in detail in Figure 8. The carriage block is disposed in a housing 114, and the housing is fixed to the inside surface of plate 90.

There is an elongate vertical slot 116 in one wall of housing 114 through which spindle 110 extends. Spring 118 constitutes resilient means yieldingly opposing the upward movement of the roller 100, and the spring is mounted in housing 114. The lower end of the spring is disposed on carriage block upper wall 119 of housing 114. Both ends of roller 100 and of roller 102 are mounted in identically the same fashion.

A plurality of removable guard rods 124 are mounted on the front and/ or rear pair of guide rails above rollers 100 and 102. Eyes 126 are secured to the guide rails, and guard rods 124 are simply slipped into horizontally aligned pairs of eyes and removed in the same way.

The operating section 62 has a number of additional rollers between rollers 100 and 102. The additional rollers are formed in pairs, there being six rollers 140, 142, 144, 146, 148 and 150 in all (Figure 3). These rollers are preferably at different angles to sweep across the body of the hog as the hog moves through the passageway 160 defined by the sides of the opera-ting section 62 and the rollers above base 46. There are pairs of sway bars connected between the plates or panels 90 and 91 and held in place by means of nuts 164. In the illustrated embodiment there are six sway bars 165, 166, '167, i 168, 169 and 170, respectively, although this number may be increased or decreased depending on the number of angulated rollers in the roller assembly of the operating section. A typical roller 148 is made of a cylindrical rubber or other compressant material body 180 having a metallic sleeve 182 in the bore thereof, together with a Stop 185 is attached to spindle '184 and bears against the bearing plate 186 at the lower extremity of the roller 180. Pivot pin 188 is carried by mounting bracket 190, and the mounting bracket is attached, for instance by bolt 192 to the plate or panel 90. The

., opposite end of the typical angular roller 148 is resiliently connected by a spring 194 to the laterally adjacent roller 150. The pairs of sway bars are connected together by roller stop plates, for example see plate 196 in Figure 6, at approximately the center thereof. These plates may be bolted, spot-welded or otherwise secured firmly in place. Springs connecting the laterally adjacent rollers of the three pairs or rollers are mounted above these 107, and the upper end of plates and are attached to angulated ends of the spindles on which the rollers are mounted for rotation. Specifically, spring 194 is secured to angulated end 1980f spindle 184 and to angulated end 200 of the spindle which mounts the roller 150 for rotation. The angularity of the angulated ends 198 and 200 is in an upward direction so that as the hog moves through passageway 160, the rollers not only rotate on their spindles but the entire rollers are upwardly displaced against the yielding opposition of spring 194. All of the rollers of the two other illustrated pairs are mounted and operate in the same way. But note that one pair of rollers that is, the intermediate pair are at an angle different from the included angle of the other two pairs of rollers.

In use and in operation the units are installed as described previously. As the hogs move from one area to another they must lower and squeeze through the passageways 160 of the units. In doing this the horizontal rollers rub across the back of the hog and the rollers that are in pairs and that are set at different angles, rub across the upper sides of the hogs. All rollers are resil- -ient in nature and they are also mounted resiliently. The horizontal rollers move in an approximately vertical plane as do the angulated rollers. However, the angulated rollers are pivotally connected at their outer ends while the horizontal rollers are mounted for up and down sliding movement as opposed by the springs (Figure 8).

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the I principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. Hog exercising apparatus adapted to be installed adjacent to and in alignment with an opening through which hogs pass, said apparatus including at least one unit having a base, a main frame attached to said base and having guide rails whose upper ends are attached to an upper part of said main frame, an operating unit mounted between said guide rails and including a plurality of rollers, at least one of said rollers being approximately horizontal, the frame having sides defining the sides of a passageway through which the hog must pass, said one of said rollers extending transversely across said passageway, others of said rollers arranged in pairs and having axes of rotation which define an angle, means pivotally mounting the outer ends of said last mentioned rollers, resilient means connecting together the inner confronting ends of said other rollers whereby said other rollers are capable of deflecting up and down to change said angle as the hog moves through said passageway and rubs against said other rollers, and means connected with said main frame for raising and lowering all of said rollers in unison.

2. In hog exercising apparatus, a unit comprising a base, a frame attached to said base and defining a passageway for. the hogs, an operating section, means connected with said frame for constraining the adjusting movement of said operating section, means connected with said frame and said section for adjusting said section, said section including a pair of side plates, transverse rollers, said transverse rollers extending transversely across said passageway and defining the upper reach thereof, means resiliently mounting the ends of said transverse rollers for vertical movement with reference to said plates, pairs of rollers between said transverse rollers, said pairs of rollers each including two rollers pivotally mounted at their outer ends onsaid plates, resilient means connected with the inner ends of each roller of said pair and yieldingly opposing the pivotal movement of said rollers of said pairs.

- 3. In hog exercising apparatus, a unit comprising a base, a frame attached to said base and defining a passageway for the hogs, an opera-ting section, means connected with said frame for constraining the adjusting movement of said operating section, means connected with said frame and said section for adjusting said section, said section including a pair of side plates, transverse rollers, said transverse rollers extending transversely across said passageway and defining the upper reach thereof, means resiliently mounting the ends of said transverse rollers for vertical movement with reference to said plates, pairs of rollers between said transverse rollers, said pairs of rollers each including two rollers pivotally mounted at their outer ends on said plates, resilient means connected with the inner ends of each roller of said pair and yieldingly opposing the pivotal movement of said rollers of said pairs, at least one pair of rollers of said pairs of rollers including an angle different from another pair of said pairs of rollers.

4. In hog exercising apparatus, a unit comprising a base, a frame attached to said base and defining a passageway for the hogs, an operating section, means connected with said frame for constraining the adjusting movement of said operating section, means connected with said frame and said section for adjusting said section, said section including a pair of side plates, transverse rollers, said transverse rollers extending transversely across said passageway and defining the upper reach thereof, means resiliently mounting the ends of said transverse rollers for vertical movement with reference to said plates, pairs of rollers between said transverse rollers, said pairs of rollers each including two rollers pivotally mounted at their outer ends on said plates, resilient means connected with the inner ends of each roller of said pair and yieldingly opposing the pivotal movement of said rollers of said pairs, at least one pair of rollers of said pairs of rollers including an angle different from another pair of said pairs of rollers, sway bars attached to said plates and extending transversely thereacross, and guide bars detachably connected with said operating section and extending thereacross.

5. In hog exercising apparatus, a unit comprising a base, a frame attached to said base and defining a passageway for the hogs, an operating section, means connected with said frame for constraining the adjusting movement of said operating section, means connected with said frame and said section for adjusting said section, said section including a pair of side plates, trans verse rollers, said transverse rollers extending transversely across said passageway and defining the upper reach thereof, means resiliently mounting the ends of said transverse rollers for vertical movement with reference to said plates, pairs of rollers between said transverse rollers, said pairs of rollers each including two rollers pivotally mounted at their outer ends on said plates, resilient means connected with the inner ends of each roller of said pair and yieldingly opposing the pivotal movement of said rollers of said pairs, at least one pair of rollers of said pairs of rollers including an angle different from another pair of said pairs of rollers, sway bars attached to said plates and extending transversely thereacross, and guide bars detachably connected with said operating section and extending thereacross, said means for raising and lowering said operating section including a crank adjustably secured to a part of said frame, and means opperatively coupling said crank to a portion of said operating section.

6. In hog exercising apparatus requiring the hog to stoop and crawl through a restricted passageway, a plurality of identical units arranged in tandem and spaced from each other, fencing at the sides of the space between said units to define an area in which the hogs may regain an erect position after squeezing through one of said units and before entering the next unit, each unit comprising a frame which has corner posts, bracing extending across said corner posts, an operating section mounted between said corner posts, guide rails forming a part of said frame, said operating section including side plates mounted bet-ween adjacent guard rails, said guard rails constraining the movement of said side plates to up and down motion, transverse rollers extending between said side plates, resilient means constraining the movement of said transverse rollers to essentially up and down movement, pairs of angulated rollers between said transverse rollers, one of said pairs of angulated rollers including a first roller and a second roller, said first and second rollers mounted for pivotal movement on said side plates, and means including a spring operatively associated with said first and second rollers at the confronting ends thereof for yieldingly opposing the pivotal movement of said first and second rollers as a hog squeezes therebeneath.

7. In hog exercising apparatus requiring the hog to stoop and crawl through a restricted passageway, a plurality of identical units arranged in tandem and spaced from each other, fencing at the sides of the space-between said units to define an area in which the hogs may regain an erect position after squeezing through one of said units and before entering the next unit, each unit comprising a frame which has corner posts, bracing extending across said corner posts, an operating section mounted between said corner posts, guide rails forming a part of said frame, said operating section including side plates mounted between adjacent guard rails, said guard rails constraining the movement of said side plates to up and down motion, transverse rollers extending between said side plates, resilient means constraining the movement of said transverse rollers to essentially up and down movement, pairs of angulated rollers between said transverse rollers, one of said pairs of angulated rollers including a first roller and a second roller, said first and second rollers mounted for pivotal movement-on said side plates, means including a spring operatively associated with said first and second rollers at the confronting ends thereof for yieldingly opposing the pivotal movement of said first and second rollers as a hog squeezes beneath said first and second rollers, transverse bracing extending across said side plates, and mechanical means connected with said transverse bracing and the upper part of said frame for elevating said transverse bracing and thereby elevating said side plates and all of said rollers to selected adjusted positions.

8. In hog exercising apparatus requiring the hog to stoop and crawl through a restricted passageway, a plurality of identical units arranged in tandem and spaced from each other, fencing at the sides of the space between said units to define an area in which the hogs may regain an erect position after squeezing through one of said units and before entering the next unit, each unit comprising a frame which has corner posts, bracing extending across said corner posts, an operating section mounted between said corner posts, guide rails forming a part of said frame, said operating section including side plates mounted between adjacent guard rails, said guard rails constraining the movement of said side plates to up and down motion, transverse rollers extending between said side plates, resilient means constraining the movement of said transverse rollers to essentially up and down movement, pairs of angulated rollers between said transverse rollers, one of said pairs of angulated rollers including a first roller and a second roller, said first and second rollers mounted for pivotal movement on said side plates, means including a spring operatively associated with said first and second rollers at the confronting ends thereof for yieldingly opposing the pivotal movement of said first and second rollers as a hog squeezes therebeneath, transverse bracing extending across said side plates, mechanical means connected with said transverse bracing and the upper part of said frame for elevating said transverse bracing and thereby elevating said side plates and all of said rollers to selected adjusted positions,

7 v a base to which said corner posts-are secured, and anchors connected with said base to secure said base in a firm fixed position.

9. A hog exercising device arranged to require hogs to creep therethrough and be massaged thereby comprising, frame means defining a passageway for hogs, mounting means slidably supported by said frame means and adjustably positioned therein for accommodating hogs of diflerent sizes, horizontally disposed resilient roller means slidably mounted in said mounting means and spring biased toward a position vertically spaced above the ground within said passageway for yielding engagement with the top of a hog, angularly disposed roller means pivotally mounted on said mounting means in spaced relation to each other along said passageway at difierent 15 angular dispositions for yielding distributed engagement with sides of a hog.

10. The device as defined in claim 9, wherein said angularly disposed roller means comprises a plurality of pairs of rollers; each pair being pivotally mounted at outer ends on the mounting means and interconnected at inner ends by a'spring for yieldable upward pivotal displacement relative to each other and guide means mounted on said mounting means and engageable with said rollers to limit pivotal displacement thereof.

References Cited in the file of thispatent UNITED STATES PATENTS I vthat 

